Andrew & Leah

We had a pretty uneventful week, but our weekend was busy. Grandma and Grandpa Lindsay came for a wedding anniversary party weekend. One party for Great Aunt Carol and Great Uncle Albin and the other for Great Uncle Gordon and Great Aunt Norma. Grandma Lindsay was proud to show off Andrew to some of the extended family at supper on Saturday night. I had a tough night on Saturday night sleep wise -- I was falling asleep after feeding Andrew about 4:00 and the pager goes off. I had to go in to work and make up some pain medicine for a hospice patient, so that was a short night. The pager has been pretty busy this weekend and I've had to go in twice (which is a lot -- since most problems are easily solved by telephone.) I'm on-call all week long, so I hope it simmers down.
Sunday after church we went for pizza at Papa Pete and Grandma Teresa's. Yum! Andrew slept for most of the time. Daddy and Andy had some boy time in the evening and I went to a baby shower for my friend Emily. She's getting close -- July 11th is her due date -- we can't wait for our new playmate to arrive!

Andrew's first week of daycare is in the books. We got good reports everyday. It seems as though we have lucked out and found a wonderful place for Andrew. We are happy that it's the weekend now and we can all hang out in our PJs a while longer and not have to rush out the door so early.

We had Andrew's pictures taken on Thursday. You can check them out in the photos, although they are poor quality and fuzzy you can get the general idea. He fell asleep on the way there, but he warmed up pretty quickly. We got some good ones.

Happy Father's Day to Great Grandpa Leonard, Grandpa Peter, Grandpa Dave and Grandpa Jerry! And of course Happy Dad's Day to Daddy Ryan on his first Father's Day!! Ryan is an awesome dad! Andrew just loves his daddy so much and who wouldn't...he does all sorts of fun things...walks in the backyard to check out the grass, singing silly songs he made up just to get a smile, and snuggling on the couch after a long day at work and daycare. Andy gives him the biggest smiles all of the time....maybe because it's like looking in the mirror! Andrew is going to be a handsome guy if he keeps looking so much like his daddy as he grows up.

It's finally such a nice day out, we are going to do some errands and enjoy the nice weather!

Andrew's first day of daycare was today. We both went to drop him off and pick him up today. There are lots of cute little pre-school aged kids there. A little girl was looking out the window when we came and she was yelling "THE NEW BABY IS HERE!!!" We could hear her across the street. They were all so excited to have Andrew there and all of the kids had to come and get a look at him. It was so cute. I was getting a little choked up as I was saying goodbye, but no tears! It's a good place, so it makes it easier. It’s still hard not to be with him and know every little detail of what he did today, but from all reports, Andrew had a great day.
Last week we had Grandma Connie and Grandpa Dave here from Illinois to meet Andrew. They got some quality time with Andrew as they watched him Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Grandpa Jerry filled out the rest of the week on the daycare duties. It made my transition back to work a little smoother, so that was nice.
This weekend, Frankie and Bob were here visiting, so they stopped over to meet Andrew. Great Aunt Frankie has the touch with babies. We could tell she is an experienced Grandma!
Andrew is really starting to grab and reach out at things now. He is also responding to sounds by turning his head to see where they are coming from. He still likes to suck on his fist and thumb if he can find it. He’s a pretty happy boy except if he has an air bubble in his tummy. Thankfully, we can usually work those out with a good burp. He’s sleeping pretty well, usually getting up once sometime during the night to eat. He sleeps great in his crib, so we are happy about that. He seems to be growing so fast lately. The pile of clothes that doesn’t fit him anymore is getting so big!
Congratulations to our friends Sonya and Troy on the birth of their little girl, Olivia Grace. She is just darling and will surely be one of Andrew’s future Bison Buddies.

Well, I went back to work today. It was for sure strange being away from Andrew for the whole day, but we both survived. It was much easier since Andrew spent the day with Grandpa Jerry. I think they both had fun. This evening Grandma Connie and Grandpa Dave came. They will be here for the next 3 days to spend time with Andrew. We are happy to have them here all the way from Illinois!

Andrew has already been on an airplane! We all went to Colorado over Memorial Day Weekend. Andrew traveled like a champ. I was pleasantly surprised how great it went. We sure did have a lot of stuff to bring. How can someone so little require so much gear? Stroller, car seat, his own suitcase, 2 diaper bags… Luckily the airline is very accommodating to those traveling with children.
We stayed at Ryan’s aunt and uncle’s place in Downtown Denver. It was awesome! They have a beautiful loft and we were so close to so many restaurants. We put Andy in the stroller and off we went to eat. He is such a good boy in his stroller even when we weren’t moving.
On Saturday, we went to meet Andrew’s newest playmate, Olivia. She is about 1 month older than Andrew. Olivia’s mom is my good friend from high school, Maria. They live in Colorado Springs now. Maria got some rolls and juice for breakfast and then we headed to check out the Garden of the Gods. It’s a red rock formation at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. It’s kind out of place there, so that’s why it’s so unusual. They made it into a place with trails and different look out spots. After we checked out the rocks, we headed to the Colorado Springs Zoo. It was a fun zoo with lots of different animals. It is built in a mountain side, so we got a good workout pushing the stollers up the steep paths. The giraffes were the highlight. You could buy some crackers and feed them. We were treated to a nice supper at the Studens before heading back to Denver for the night.
Ryan lived in Denver area for a short time when he was about 9 years old, so we ventured up to the suburb of Westminster to try and find his old house on Sunday. At first, we didn’t have much luck as a lot has changed in 20 years. But then we passed a middle school that he recognized. Then we got into the right area and found his old school. From there we were able to find the neighborhood and his house. He showed me the park where he used to play baseball and cut across to get to school. Pretty neat! We checked out the Cherry Creek Mall for a couple of hours and then hit up the Wazee Supper Club. They had a variety of foods, but the pizza seemed like their specialty, so that’s what we tried. Yum!
We had a morning flight on Monday morning, so we got up early and headed up to the airport and were back home early in the day. Andrew did very well on the flights again.
This weekend, Ryan is umpiring the North Dakota State High School Baseball Tournament. We will be lonely without daddy, so Andrew and I are heading to Grandma and Grandpa Lindsay’s for a few days. This is my last week of maternity leave. I can’t believe that our little man is already going to be 12 weeks old on Monday. He is such a good baby! Ryan and I love being parents. We really feel like a family now that Andrew has joined us. It is so fun to watch him grow and develop, too. There are many more firsts to come.

Andrew's big news is that he was baptized on Sunday at Olivet Lutheran Church. Pastor Kris baptized him. He was also the pastor that married Ryan & I, so that was a neat connection. Andrew also got a guardian angel, Rebekah. It's a neat program at Olivet. She is going to be his special friend at church. She is a cutie. It's a great way for the older kids to see the baptism up close, too! We hope Andrew can be someone's guardian angel when he is older. Andrew was great during the baptism. He was wide awake for the whole thing and didn't cry one bit. Andrew's Great Grandpa & Grandma Perreault were able to come. It was great they could come & meet Andrew on his special day! Others at the baptism were Godmother Allison & Godfather Brian, Cousins Reese & Isaac, Auntie Angela & Uncle Jason, Grandma & Grandpa Lindsay, Grandma & Grandpa Tilock & cousin Charlie. It was a fun group. They all came over to our house for tacos, fruit & dessert after the service.

Auntie Angela and Auntie Allison were a little bit sore on Sunday because they ran in the 1/2 marathon on Saturday morning. They both did great finishing right around 2 hours for the 13.1 mile course. Wow!! It's their 2nd year running it. The course for the marathon, 1/2 marathon and 5K run come right by at the end of our block, so we got to see all of the runners come by. Over 10,000 runners participated. It was just a sea of people running for many blocks -- quite the sight. Reese & Grandma Lindsay made some signs for the twins and friend Gwen to cheer them on.

Andrew also got to meet a couple of friends from college on Saturday...Shelagh and Suzie were in town for the weekend. They both recently moved to the Twin Cities...Shelagh from Chicago and Suzie from Seattle. It was great to see them and catch up! My friend Lisa was there, too. I work with her, but since I'm on maternity leave I haven't seen her for a while. By the way, thanks to Lisa -- she is doing my job while I am gone on leave. I'm not sure, but I think she is counting the days until I am back to work. ;)

Today Andrew had his 2 month check up. He is doing great -- Dr. Tingley gave him an A+ on his health. He is officially weighing in at 12 lbs 9 oz which is the 61 percentile and he is 24 inches long, which is in the 78 percentile. He did have to get the dreaded vaccinations today, too. He got one oral vaccine and 3 shots. After the first shot, he cried pretty loud, but as shots 2 and 3 were given, the screams came out...that made me cry, too! I'm not sure about dad, but he might have had a tear in his eye. Andy cried for a bit, but was easily calmed when he got to eat right afterwards. He fussed a little as we got him buckled into his car seat, but was asleep for a 3 hour nap before we even got to the car. We went for a stroller ride around the mall (it was raining outside) since he sleeps great when stroll along. Speaking of sleep, he had a couple of nights with 5 to 6 hour chunks of sleep. Last night he was awake again about 2 a.m. for a little snack, but then slept through until morning. Yeah!

Tonight Andrew found his thumb and sucked it for a little while. He had done it once before a couple weeks ago, but I thought it was a fluke. This time he really seemed to be trying to do it. I guess we will have to wait and see if he does it again.

Saturday is the big marathon. The runners will come by our block, so we will watch and hopefully get a couple of pictures of the aunties running.

We had a very nice weekend. On Friday night, Dad was umping the Redhawks exhibition game. Andrew and I were lucky enough to get a ticket to the NDSU suite so we could go and watch and not sit outside. Andrew lasted for about 5 innings then it was time to go home and eat. He's been to quite a few baseball games this spring. It would be nice if the weather would get a little nicer so Andrew wouldn't have to be so bundled up. At least he doesn't seem to mind it.
Saturday morning we headed off to Allison & Brian's. Andrew travels great. He just sleeps the whole time. Isaac was baptized on Sunday and we are Godparents. It was a special day and we were happy to be a part of it.
We will have a full house for Andrew's baptism this weekend. Plus aunties Angela and Allison will be running in the half marathon on Saturday. The route comes very close to our house at mile 1 and mile 12 so we will get to cheer them on at the beginning and end.
Andrew is still sleeping great in his crib. He is a little smiler and just melts our hearts with his grin. He is such a good baby. He doesn't cry unless he wants to eat or has a burp. Or if the car stops at a red light. It is so funny. He will be perfectly content and even could be sleeping, but when we stop, he cries. Then we go again and he immediately stops crying.

A Mother's Day Poem

Before I was a Mom -
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom -
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom -
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much...
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom -
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

Andrew is doing great. The big milestone is he has been sleeping in his own room in his crib for the week! No more cradle in mom and dad's room. He has been doing great with it. Mostly keeping to his normal schedule, so that is wonderful. Plus, mom is sleeping better (light sleeper) since I don’t wake up with all of his little baby noises. He definitely lets us know when he really has to get up to eat...usually around 3 am depending on how late he eats before bedtime. He will be back to sleep until about 6:00-6:30 am. Not too shabby!! During the day, Andrew takes little catnaps, but he is awake for a lot of the day. He likes to be under his play gym and kick around and look at all of the toys hanging above. He likes his bouncy chair, too. I think he likes that a lot because he can see what’s going on. His favorite place is lying on his changing table – especially if we let his little legs out. He just LOVES to kick, smile and coo. He will stay happy there for such a long time. Even in the middle of night, he gives a big smile when he is getting his diaper changed.
This weekend we are heading to the cities for Isaac’s baptism. We are so happy to be part of his special day.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms! It’s the best!

Andrew is really starting to following things with his eyes now. He is really interested in the toys on his bouncy chair and will even look at his mobile on his crib. He has quite a grip now. If we put a rattle in his hand, he will grab it and shake it around for a while. He is starting to coo and make sounds. It is so fun to hear his little voice. He is a pretty happy baby and is really getting to be a smiley little guy, too. Andrew is getting to be more independent. Last night he did not want to be held and snuggled, which was very unusual. He wanted to be in his bouncy chair and kick his legs and wave his arms. He seems to want to eat so frequently the last few days. He might be going through a growth spurt. He’s grown out of some of his little clothes and the others are soon to follow.

We are all feeling much better around here. Dad was spared from getting a cold this time. They tested the cyst they removed from under my eye last week -- it came back benign. The doctor thought it would be, but it was good to know for sure.

Great Aunt Marilyn and cousin Meredith stopped to see us this last Thursday since they were shopping in Fargo. On Friday we got more SNOW. It worked out okay for us though since the NDSU baseball games were cancelled for the weekend and Ryan could spend time with our visitors. Great Aunt Sue and Uncle Dave drove up from Grand Rapids on Sunday. How fun to see them!

Good luck to Aunt Allison as she goes back to work. At least you only have a month and then back home for the summer. You teachers got it made!

I can’t believe that I am already half way done with my maternity leave! The time goes too fast. We have had a busy last few days. On Saturday, Ryan was umpiring in Mayville. Grandma Lindsay surprised us with a call in the morning to say she was on her way to shop for some new dress clothes for some upcoming events. I thought it sounded like a good excuse to see her grandson. :) Of course, we met up with her. We had a fun day. Andrew likes to be in his stroller as long as we keep on the move.
On Sunday, we went over to Grandma Teresa's and Papa Pete's for breakfast. We got to meet some more relatives including Great Grandma and Grandpa Spiekermeier.
On Monday, I had an appointment to get a sebaceous cyst near my eye that had developed during my pregnancy checked out. The ophthalmologist ended up taking care of it that day. I have two stitches under my right eye now, but they are barely visible.
Today, I had my 6-week check up, so Andrew and dad had some quality time together again. It feels so strange to go anywhere without Andrew with me.
Andrew is getting over his cold. His breathing is much better. He is changing so much everyday. He really enjoys looking at his toys now and follows them with his eyes. We take stroller rides on the nice days, too. He will stay awake for awhile, and then he usually falls asleep by the end of the ride. He knows our faces now, too, but doesn't smile when he sees us yet. He does have many other facial expressions. His neck is getting stronger. He is able to hold it up for longer periods of time. He still doesn't like to be on his tummy too much unless he is snuggling on mom or dad. He is getting kinda big for the cradle now. It might be time to change over to the crib soon so he can stretch out a bit more.

Our poor little boy has a cold. He started off with a stuffy nose that didn't seem to bother him too much, but last night was just horrible. It felt like he didn't sleep at all last night and nothing seemed to comfort him. Mom started feeling the cold symptoms last evening, too and that didn't help matters for her. Dad hasn't come down with anything yet, so let's hope that the germs stay away from him. This morning consisted of a nap for both Andrew and mom, but not as long as mom would have liked. Our normally happy little guy has been pretty fussy today, so hopefully we are all on the mend soon!

We got more SNOW this past week. It postponed an NDSU baseball game on Friday, but we were happy because it allowed us to go to Ryan's co-worker's annual fish fry. We were just going to stay for a little while, but we were having such a fun time and Andrew was such a good boy, we kept him out late! He's a little night owl anyway going to bed for the night around midnight or 1 a.m. I guess he takes after his parents. I don't know if we can handle those late nights anymore when mom has to go back to work.
By Saturday late afternoon, all of the snow was gone and the NDSU baseball team planned to play a double header. Dad was off to the baseball stadium. Andrew of course had to go and check out the baseball stadium, so we figured we would bring some supper for between games for the guys in the pressbox. We got there in the 9th inning of the first game and it was tied 5-5. Perfect timing to see the end of the game, right? Well, Andrew lasted a few more innings and then it was getting a bit cold and he had to eat, so we took off for home. The game ended up going 17 innings and taking 5 1/2 hours!! It was past 10 o'clock by the time it was over. Luckily, they decided to call off the 2nd game that was supposed to follow! By the way, the Bison ended up losing after all of those scoreless innings. Heartbreaking!
Two more baseball games were on the docket for Sunday for dad. Grandma and Grandpa Lindsay came to visit Andrew and mom. That was nice. We got some things done around the house. We made a trip to Target, too and spent some of the gift cards we had saved up from baby gifts. We picked out a front baby carrier. I wasn’t sure if Andrew would like it, but he snuggled right in and I was able to have two hands free while keeping him close. It lets him face in for now and face outwards later when he can hold his head up. We also were able to get a smaller stroller, too, for those quick trips once he gets a little older.

Andrew is 4 weeks old already! This past weekend, we went to Crookston. It was our first trip to Grandma and Grandpa Lindsay's house. Angela and Allison hosted a shower for Andrew on Sunday. There was a nice turnout. We were planning to come home on Sunday, but the weather had other plans. You wouldn't have known it in Crookston, but there was a blizzard in Fargo and to the south. We had heard that some people were only able to drive 30-40 miles per hour on the interstate around Fargo and it was even worse on the way to the cities. So, Grandma and Grandpa got an extra night with Angela, Jason, Allison, Brian, Reese, Isaac and us. They sure weren't complaining. It was kinda fun to not have to rush off after the baby shower.

Andrew is doing great. We are sorta getting into a routine now. He is increasing the amount of time that he is awake during the day. He sleeps pretty good at night usually a good 4-5 hour chunk and then a shorter period again before we get up for the day. I weighed him today and he is just over 9 lbs now. I put up some pictures from a bath, too. He was a very mellow in the tub. Not much is planned for this week. Ryan will work at some baseball games if all of the snow melts away. Andrew and I hope the temperature gets a little bit warmer so we can take some walks.

Yesterday Andrew was 3 weeks old. The days go by so quickly and it seems like the nights go even faster. Andy is a pretty good sleeper, but he does go through these phases where he likes to be held rather than sleeping in the cradle or crib during the night. Mom and dad have spent quite a few hours sleeping in the rocking chair with him. He does have some good stretches of sleep most nights, so hopefully that will increase as time goes on.
Andrew is an active little guy. He likes to have his arms out of the blankets so he can move them around. We will often find that he has kicked the blankets off entirely by the time he wakes up. He loves to move his arms and legs around when he is awake. The amount of time that he is awake each day is increasing, too. The longest stretch is usually in the evening, which is when he was most active during my pregnancy, too. Funny how he follows that pattern.
Andrew continues to gain weight. He is about 8 lbs 8 oz now. Yeah! He does spit up a lot though. Sometimes I wonder why I feed him at all as it seems to end up on his clothes or my clothes. Grandma Lindsay said that I would spit up when I was a baby, so I guess this is payback time. What a great trait to pass along to my son.
Another new trick is smiling. It doesn’t seem to be in relation to anything just yet though. He will usually crack a smile when he is sleeping. He must have sweet dreams.

Andrew was in to be weighed again this past Tuesday. He was up 6 ounces to 7 lbs 9 oz since last Friday, so that was great! The doctor is happy with his progress, so we don't have to go back to see him again until our 2 month appointment. Yeah!

Andrew had a baby-sitter yesterday. Grandma Teresa and Grandpa Peter watched him while mom got a haircut and got some groceries. He was a good boy, so that was great.

Not much else is going on. This weekend should be nice and quiet.

Today Andrew is 2 weeks old. He is doing great. We are enjoying him and parenthood.

Andy had his first roadtrip this past weekend. We went to Champlin for Easter to spend the day with the Lindsay side. We were planning to travel on Friday, but we got hammered with snow all day. So we delayed our travels until Saturday. The roads were perfect by then and we didn't have any troubles. Andrew traveled well. He slept the whole way there and the whole way home. He slept pretty well through the night, too.

It was mom and Andrew's first day home by ourselves. We were spoiled last week with Grandma Lindsay here for the whole week. It was nice to have homecooked meals, all of the laundry done, the dishes washed, and the freezer stocked with goodies. I did manage to do a load of Andrew's clothes today and we have spaghetti going for supper, so we are doing pretty good. We also had a nice treat last week when Papa Pete brought over some Sammy's pizzas for supper one night. Great Aunt LouAnn and Great Aunt Marilyn sure were jealous when they heard that!

I'm feeling pretty good now, too. I get a little sore at the incision site once and a while. I'm still not able to lift anything too heavy, but I am able to drive now. I get tired if I am up and around for too long, but that is getting better, too.

Tomorrow we are headed to get weighed at the doctor again. We are hoping to have added a few more ounces since last Friday.

Andrew had his post hospital check up today. The big news was he gained 3 oz. Yeah! The doctor says that's about right since Monday, but he is going to be weighed again on Tuesday just to be sure that he is still gaining weight. Andrew has the typical baby rash, but the doctor wasn't concerned about that and said it should clear up on its own. Everything else looked good.

We are supposed to head down to the cities for Easter this weekend although we woke up to about 5 inches of new snow this morning and more is on the way. Ryan even got out the snowblower to clear a path to get to the doctor. We are going to see if is clears up later today, otherwise, we will wait until tomorrow. I think Grandpa Lindsay will probably pick up Grandma today, so they can head down to help Allison and Brian get ready for the company. We have loved having Grandma here to help for the week.

Andrew is sleeping now, so mom and dad are going to try and catch some Zzzz's, too. This little guy kept us up for most of the night last night. He likes to be held while he is sleeping, so that's tough for mom and dad.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Andrew is 1/16 Irish...he gets that from Grandpa Lindsay's side. He wore a little green today on his onesie.

We have had some visitors. Grandma and Grandpa Lindsay came on Saturday night. They came from the cities after Grandma's basketball team took 3rd place at the state basketball tournament. Auntie Angela, Auntie Allison, Cousins Reese and Isaac came on Sunday. Cousin Reese keeps everyone entertained. It was fun to compare Isaac and Andrew with Isaac being just a couple of weeks older than Andrew. (Check out the pictures of them together.)

Grandma is staying this week to help. She has already made some great home cooked meals and done several loads of laundry. Plus, changed lots of diapers. Hooray for Grandma!

Andrew and mom had an appointment with the lactation nurse today at MeritCare. Andrew is down a little bit more on his weight, but the nurse thought that he looked great. The nurse was awesome and I was really glad that we went. She checked my incision and reassured me that my recovery sounds pretty normal, too. She gave a few tips on how to get Andrew to eat better. We are to see our regular pediatrician for the first time on Friday and they will weigh him again then.

Well, Andrew is calling, so gotta go.

Well, things are going pretty good with the Perreault Family. We are still getting used to waking up so often during the night. The first night home was pretty sleepless for everyone, but the 2nd night seemed to go a little smoother.

Andrew and mom are struggling a little bit with breastfeeding. Andrew fights latching on and gets so worked up in the process or he just wants to sleep away and not wake up to eat. We are going to see the lactation nurse on Monday, so hopefully she will have some tips.

We had a little family outing this afternoon to eat at the Pizza Ranch and check out the new Super Wal-Mart in Dilworth. Steph was getting a little stir crazy after being in the hospital and then not leaving the house for a couple of days. Andrew didn't mind the car seat and slept away at lunch and at the store.

We are home!

Andrew is doing great. He passed his hearing test and his bilirubin level was 8 today. The doctor says that the bilirubin is usually peaking around this age and it should be going down from this point. Andrew lost a bit of weight as newborns usually do. He's at 7 lbs 5 oz now. He should gain it all back within a couple of weeks. It's kinda hit and miss with nursing. He will have a really good feeding and then a not so good one. He really likes to sleep, so sometimes it's hard to get him to stay awake eat long enough. I guess we shouldn't complain about a good sleeper and he should get better at nursing as he figures it out.

Mom is recovering well. She is still pretty sore at her incision site, but got the staples out today before we left the hospital. She is able get around the house without problems. No driving for a few more days and no heavy lifting.

Grandma Lindsay's basketball team is in the state tournament this weekend. They won their game on Wednesday afternoon, so they will be playing on TV Friday (and on Saturday for the Championship Game if they win on Friday.) We are happy that we will be able to watch!

Thanks to everyone for all of the messages on the website, emails, text messages and phone calls.

There's a picture of Andrew on MeritCare's Website. Go to www.meritcare.com and on the menu on the left side, click on the BassiNet link.

As planned, Ryan and I went into the hospital on Monday morning so I could be induced. My cousin nurse Becky was working nights, so she decorated my labor room with pink and blue streamers. So cute! They started the pitocin and things were going fine. The doctor came in and broke my water. My contractions progressed after that, but unfortunately my dilation didn't. About 7 pm, we decided that I should have a C-Section. Everything went well with the surgery and we had our baby boy by 7:46 pm.
Andrew has been a good baby so far. He is sleeping and eating well.
I am doing alright, too. Pretty sore at my incision site, but was able to get up an around a little bit today and get a shower. I have been well taken care of here.
Ryan is good, too! He is a pretty proud dad.

I had a doctor's appointment this morning. There was not any significant change from last week as far as dilation. I have the induction scheduled for Monday, March 10th. The plan is to check into the hospital at 7:00 am. We will keep you posted.

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday. I arrived in the morning and found out that my regular doctor wasn't feeling well, so I saw one of the other doctors in the clinic. The doctor agreed that I have a big baby brewing. The baby's head is in the down position, so that is great. I am still dilated to 2 and effaced 80%. She said I am ready to go anytime. I still have an appointment scheduled for next Thursday, March 6th, but I also scheduled an induction for March 10th if nothing happens by then. Hopefully, labor will come on its own, but at least we know the baby will be here in a little over a week if it doesn't!

I had a great baby shower last Sunday afternoon. Thanks to Lisa and Leann for hosting it for me! We played some games -- one where we had to taste baby foods and guess what they were and another with where we tried to identify melted candy bars in diapers. Some of them looked very realistic, but at least they smelled like chocolate. I got some very nice gifts. Those current moms have great ideas. I'm going to find a place for everything in the nursery tonight. I think we are all set for Baby Perreault's arrival. I can't forget the delicious rattle-shaped cupcakes, too. I didn't take any pictures, but hopefully mom will share them with me so I can put them up on the site. Grandma Lindsay is a little busy these days down in the cities helping my sister Allison with her new baby Isaac and keeping new big sister Reese occupied.

I think the baby has dropped now...at least my bladder is feeling the pressure. The bag is packed for the hospital. I haven't caught the nesting bug -- at least not enough to clear off my desk at work yet.

I see the doctor again on Thursday, will update with any news.

Lots of news to share...

There was a surprise party for Uncle David's 60th Birthday today and tomorrow I have a baby shower here in Fargo, so we have some visitors at our house. Angela & Jason came Friday night (and they brought our niece Reese.) Steph's mom also came for the weekend. Allison & Brian were going to come, but decided to stay home because her due date was March 4th. Yep, I said "was"...She ended up having her baby! It's a boy...Isaac Duane! He was born early this morning about 5:30 am. We got the wake up call a little after 6:30 am. Even better, today is Allison & Angela's birthday! What a great present for mom and aunt! Auntie Angela said the only thing better would be if Baby Perreault would be born today, too! I said don't hold your breath on that one.

Although....I went to the doctor last week for my 36 week appointment. The doctor told me I am going to have a big baby and he probably won't let me go until my due date because he would predict the baby would be 9+ pounds by then. He is going to see me weekly for the next 2 weeks, and go from there. He said that I am already dilated to 1.5 - 2 centimeters, but I know I could stay that way for a while.

I put up one more belly picture. I had another side view shot, but I couldn't get it to upload. So maybe I will try again tomorrow and hopefully have some pictures from the shower, too.

Just a quick note to congratulate my good friend Maria and her husband Matt on the birth of their daughter! She was about a month early, but she and mom are both doing great. Olivia Louise was born on February 13 at 5:28 pm. She was 5 lbs 11 oz and 19 inches long.

I had a doctor's appointment on Thursday. I am at 34 weeks now. Doctor says everything continues to look good. The baby's head is down. I guess that explains the pressure on my bladder! I've got another appointment in 2 weeks.

We are getting excited to meet this little one.

Happy Birthday to Baby Perreault's Grandma Lindsay!

Speaking of Grandma Lindsay, she came to visit me on Saturday. Ryan was gone with the men's basketball team and my dad was working for the weekend. It was fun to hang out just the two of us. We had an early birthday lunch and did some looking around at baby stuff, so that was fun.

Baby Perreault is doing well, already keeping me from sleeping through the night...either making me get up for bathroom breaks or to change positions. The movements seem to shake my whole abdomen now and we can SEE the baby moving sometimes. I can't imagine that I will grow even more over the next 6 weeks. It seems like my belly is already stretched out as far as it can go. I've been amazed by the human body so far, so I'm sure it will keep amazing me. My wedding ring isn't fitting anymore and the baby is crowding my lungs a little bit, but other than that I feel pretty good. This belly is working to keep me warm through the cold weather. :)

We have a busy week including a doctor's appointment on Thursday. I'll update if there are any new developments.

I had a doctor's appointment today. Everything continues to look good. My appointments will come every 2 weeks now instead of once a month, so that means that the arrival of our little one is getting closer.

I've added some pictures of the baby's room. Next step is to put some decorations up on the walls. We've got some neat stuff, so it should come together nicely.

I'm still feeling good, but it is getting more difficult to put on my socks in the morning. I might be wearing slippers or flip-flops to work by February! Ha!

We had a great Christmas. The time off goes so fast. Luckily Ryan and I both have another day off on Tuesday for New Year's Day -- and it happens to be our wedding anniversary, too so that's kinda nice.

I had my glucose tolerance test this past week. The one-hour level was 103, so that was well below the 140 maximum. I'm in the 3rd trimester now, and still doing great!

Merry Christmas! We are off to the Lindsay side this year for Christmas Eve and to Godmother Marilyn's for Christmas Day.

Ryan started to paint the baby's room today. It is going to be a light yellow. It is looking cheerful in there. I will post some nursery pictures once we get the crib in place.

My good friend Maria and her husband Matt flew into Fargo yesterday, so I got to see them a bit at the airport before they headed to Crookston. Maria is also pregnant and due in March. How fun for us to compare stories both now and as the children grow up. Matt took a couple of pictures of the two of us, so hopefully I will put them up when he sends them.

Wishing everyone a great Christmas and safe travels.

We picked out some things for the nursery -- crib and changing table. We also found a stroller/infant car seat combo. I'm happy with what we found.

I have still been feeling great. No complaints. The baby seems to have a cycle of active and resting times. Just like we all do, I guess. The baby movements are the coolest feeling. Ryan has gotten to feel some kicks, too. I have only two votes that think the baby is a girl...everyone else is saying boy. Anyone else want to guess?

We put up a few Christmas decorations around the house. We picked out a Christmas tree and got it decorated. We didn't get the outside lights put up this year, but it definitely seems like it's getting close to Christmas with all of the snow we have. I can't complain though -- it is so pretty with everything all dressed in white.

Ryan is off on another 5 day road trip for work. We did get about an inch of snow, but I was able to clear out the driveway. It was light and fluffy, so it was kinda fun. Thank goodness Ryan was still home to clear it out after the big storm on Monday. Hopefully this roadtrip won't be so bad since mom and dad will come to break it up a little bit when they do some Christmas shopping this weekend.

Happy Birthday to Steph's dad, Jerry today! He's gonna be a busy Grandpa in a few months going from 1 grandchild to 3 in the month of March. :)

I had my monthly appointment today. Everything continues to look good. Next appointment, I have my glucose tolerance test.

We had a nice Thanksgiving at Allison's house in Champlin. The Albertville Outlet Mall opened at midnight for “Midnight Madness.” All of the girls took advantage of the late night shopping. There were a lot of people there –quite the lineup of cars after we exited the interstate, but we arrived shortly before midnight and were able to find a parking spot without a problem. We ended up leaving about 2:00 a.m. and there were cars lined up to exit off of the interstate, so I guess we came at the right time. Angela and I headed back to her house after the shopping. Our husbands were sound asleep.

On Friday, we did some looking for baby stuff at Babies R Us in the cities. We didn't get anything yet, but hopefully soon. I don't know if it's a pregnancy effect or what, but I am so indecisive when it comes to this stuff. We met up with the NDSU basketball team on their way to Wisconsin-Green Bay so Ryan could join them for the road trip. I headed back to Fargo.

We are getting a little bit of snow in Fargo tonight and the wind is really blowing it around. It will look nice to have a little white covering to go with all of the Christmas decorations around town. It is supposed to be cold this week, so it might just stay around this time.

Thanks to everyone for all of the guestbook entries and comments. We love reading them! Sign up for the mailing list if you want to be notified when we update the website.

Congratulations to cousin Jill and her husband Jeff on the birth of Elliet Lindsay. (I love that they used Jill's maiden name for her middle name!) Elli came about 5 weeks early, but it sounds like she is doing great and will come home soon.

Ryan is on the road with the NDSU basketball team as they are playing their first games this weekend. It's the first trip of many trips to come this winter. At least it will be a little more predictable this year since NDSU joined a conference.

We picked out a soft yellow paint for the baby's room. The mostly sky blue bedding has some bugs on it -- butterflies, bubble bees and lady bugs. It can easily be for a boy or girl. We don't have a crib or anything else picked out for the nursery. We are waiting until we go to the cities to look since it is pretty slim pickings around here for that sort of thing.

I am feeling great! I love being pregnant. The baby must like to work on some dance moves or something while I am trying to get to sleep. I guess he/she is a night owl. Any more guesses on the sex of the baby? I would say the majority of people think we are going to have a boy....but only time will tell. We don't really have a feeling on it yet, and the anticipation of not knowing is fun!

Next Tuesday, we start Lamaze classes. Hopefully, it's a little more than just breathing techniques since the classes go for 4 hours!

Today was ultrasound day. Ryan and I both went. We got to see Baby Perreault moving all around and got some pictures. The more colored pictures are 3-D. The tech said the baby was very active during the ultrasound. She would point out different black spots as different organs like the kidneys, bladder and stomach. The heartbeat was recorded at 138 beats per minute. We saw all 4 chambers of the heart at work. The tech measured different parts such as the head, femur and around the body. The doctor everything looked good and kept my due date at March 20th. We didn't find out if the baby is a boy or girl, so you will have to wait just like us!
That's all for now, except to say a congratulations to our friends Stephanie and David...they had a baby girl last Friday, Mallorie Marie.

I just love the fall! It's my favorite season: cooler weather, football games and all the new TV shows. I have been feeling really good, too. I have felt some baby movement this week! Just a few flutters, but it is still fun. I’ve definitely popped now, too -- I am looking pregnant, but not as much as my sister Allison, who's on #2. I saw her last weekend and we compared since our due dates are only 2 days apart. Ryan was away with the NDSU football team, so I headed to Crookston. Allison, Reese and Angela were there as well as mom and dad.
Ryan and I got a box in the mail from Ryan's mom this week and inside was Ryan's baby book. It was fun to look through it and see some pictures. Connie had kept a good record and even noted that one of his favorite first foods was pizza, of course.
Stay tuned -- we should have some ultrasound pictures up in about two weeks.